ROCHDALE supporters trust had good cause to celebrate at the recent fans’ forum having just completed their first full working year.

It has been a steep learning curve for everyone involved but the long hours and hard work put in by the devotees, allayed to support from others within the movement, has ensured a healthy outlook going into the 2005/06 season.

Despite warnings from other trusts that interest levels and membership would drop after the novelty wore off – especially as Dale are not a club in financial crisis – new members and renewals have been forthcoming at a fast pace with membership fees still just £5.

Speaking at last week’s fans’ forum, a spokesman for the trust said: “We will be able to present the fine details of our finances at the agm once the auditors have completed their investigations, but we ended the last financial year with £6,659.65 in the bank.

“We will be looking to increase this through our usual fundraising activities and venturing into the area of grant funding. Our new standing order scheme is taking off well, with donations totalling £123 a month so far. This will amount to £1,476 a year and if we could get, say, 100 standing orders donating £5 a month we could raise £6,000 – money that will go towards helping the club and Trust work in the wider Rochdale area.

“Working together with the Dale board of directors to the mutual benefit of the club and fans is of great importance. We want to improve what has been done already in this field and be better able to report back to members what is going on.

“Having met with and spoken to other club’s trusts we should be very appreciative of what we have here at Rochdale. Some of the things other fans have had to do to ensure survival are frightening. We as fans should not be complacent. We need to do all we can to ensure our Rochdale is safe and secure for many years to come.

“Building a solid supporters’ trust that is ready and able to act should the need arise is crucial.”

At the fans’ forum it was decided unanimously to purchase a spare set of moveable goalposts to aid the squad’s training, just one of the many ways in which Rochdale supporters trust is actively working towards the betterment of the club.